Victor Rosario, who spent 32 years in prison after being falsely accused of starting a fire that killed eight people, has settled a lawsuit with the City of Lowell in Massachusetts for $13 million. The lawsuit covers police officers and firefighters named in the action and was settled right before the start of the trial.
In the early 1980s, Rosario was accused of conspiring with two brothers in a case that was described by investigators as involving “outright lies, coercion, threats, mistreatment and sleep deprivation.” Although his co-accused brothers were not brought to trial, Rosario was convicted based on a signed confession that he claimed was obtained through coercion in a language he didn’t understand. Rosario spent much of his time behind bars representing fellow prisoners in disciplinary hearings.
In 2014, a judge overturned Rosario’s conviction, and he was released from prison when a retrial was ordered. However, the case was never retried, and prosecutors declined the option in 2020, citing the passage of too much time. Rosario missed many key moments in his children’s lives and his mother’s death due to wrongful imprisonment.
The settlement sends a message about the importance of fair trials and could have a positive impact on similar cases in Massachusetts and across the country. Despite advances in fire science and doubts about the blaze having been started deliberately, Rosario was convicted solely based on his confession, which he signed without understanding the contents. Rosario and his supporters hope to bring similar cases for hundreds of other individuals wrongly convicted in Massachusetts.
In conclusion, Rosario’s settlement represents a step in the right direction towards ensuring that all individuals have fair trials and are not wrongly accused or imprisoned. His case is an example of the importance of due process and the potential consequences when justice is not served correctly.
